It is impossible to have a conversation with Brad Deetscreek and not walk away feeling heard, supported, and encouraged. He has a rare gift of seeing the positive in all circumstances and his love for the Lord and others is evident in all he does. Momentum feels privileged to share Brad as part of our staff along with the Grace Church, Bath Campus in Akron, Ohio. When he is not overseeing family ministry at the church, Brad is the director of the Momentum EDU program (a major in youth ministry at Grace College).
Brad grew up in the ministries of Momentum Ministry Partners ,and as a youth pastor he would bring his students to Youth Conference and the Urban Centers and send students on Travel Teams. He was a member of Momentum’s board of directors for 13 years before joining the staff in 2020. When asked what the most rewarding aspect of his teaching role is, Brad replied, “I love seeing young people develop. There is something special about seeing the ‘light’ come on — when a student learns something and puts it into practice. Their ‘aha moment’ if you will. Even better is seeing them take what they learn and put it into practice in their home churches and future careers.”
Brad believes strongly in the EDU program and Grace College’s ability to prepare students for a future in ministry. “Grace College is a great community! They are always looking for ways to be the most effective while still focusing on what matters the most. We [Momentum] fit in well with that. We want them to have a great community but also be challenged academically and be involved with a local church,” says Brad. “We are unique in that we give them hands-on experiences, modules, and internships. As a result, their heart is shaped for ministry, and they learn how they can be used by God to make an impact. It is book learning versus applied learning.”
Grace College and its staff are also thrilled to have Brad as a partner with them because of the unique quality that Brad brings as an active pastor in a local church. Dr. Tiberius Rata is an Old Testament professor at Grace. He describes it as a “delight” to have Brad on their team. “He always has a smile on his face as he informs and inspires our students to serve God with their whole hearts and minds,” says Tiberius. “He invests in our students by bringing his life and ministry experience into the classroom.”
Brad’s week-to-week experiences as a pastor help him see how the world is changing and give him real-world problems in real-time, to spark real-world discussions for the students to work through. His knowledge is not merely from research, but from actual situations that he encounters in his everyday. “If you are not actively involved in [church ministry] you try to find answers to questions people don’t need or care about,” says Brad. “[Church involvement] keeps you in touch. It has been good for me to be on this side of it — to stay in touch with the culture.” It is this blend of active pastoring combined with Brad’s natural teaching gifts that give Momentum EDU students at Grace College a truly unique educational experience that will better prepare them for a life of ministry. Brad is truly preparing these young leaders for tomorrow’s opportunities.
A version of this story originally appeared in a newsletter from Momentum Ministry Partners. Find more information about Momentum here and their EDU program here.